1. Please tell us about yourself, your background and why you believe you are qualified to hold this office.

As a lifelong Democrat and two-term mayor who actively promotes many of the values we hold dear, I am running for U.S. Congress in IL-10. I bring private and public sector experience, along with a record of advocacy and achievement. It is time to elect someone with the background, experience and energy to win this seat in November and hold it in 2018.

I grew up and attended public school in the district. I earned a BA in economics from Stanford and an MBA from Northwestern and went on to work in finance at General Motors before attending the University of Chicago Law School. I specialized in health care law, practicing with McDermott Will & Emery, before leaving to raise my family and devoting my time to public service.

After winning a hard fought race to become the first woman mayor of Highland Park, I shook up City Hall with a major reform of city government that resulted in increased transparency and accountability. I've balanced five consecutive budgets and maintained a Aaa bond rating.

I have made it my mission to bring together to tackle some of our toughest problems. When powerful storms left residents without power for days, I led the fight to hold ComEd accountable, resulting in millions in equipment upgrades and better service. I passed one of the only local assault weapons bans in the nation and fought the NRA all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Our district has so many opportunities that can be achieved with the right leadership. I am running for Congress to fight for educational opportunities for our students and economic fairness for all Americans. I will be a consistent advocate for a woman's right to choose and for accessible quality, health care. I will protect our fragile planet and be a strong partner with Israel. I bring a passion for advocacy, reflecting the progressive values of our District and a record of producing real results. It's time to elect a leader who has the courage to stand up to special interests and do what's right for all of us.

2. With this being a presidential election year, who would you like to be elected President and why?

We have two great candidates on the Democratic ticket for President of the United States. I support Hillary Clinton. While Bernie Sanders has progressive ideas and represents our shared values, I believe Hillary is the candidate who is most qualified to get things done for all of us.

3. The fight against ISIS is on everyone's mind, especially after the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. What would your plan be in the fight against ISIS and for the national security of the U.S?

Our highest priority is the security of the American people. The fight against terrorism will be a long, hard fight. We should work to remain on offense fighting these forces in the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere. I support coordinated air attacks and the use of U.S. Special Forces. It is also crucial to work with opposition forces in Syria to diminish the impact of ISIS while we work to stabilize that war-torn nation. We need to use our substantial counterterrorism capabilities, working with our allies to cut off funding to ISIS, improve our intelligence, strengthen our defenses, and stem the flow of foreign fighters into and out of the Middle East. Additionally, the provision of safe zones and humanitarian relief for millions of families fleeing oppression and war is critical to their safety as well as future views of the U.S. and subsequent decisions to inflict harm or not.

4. Do you support a federal assault weapons ban? Why or why not? What other federal gun control measures would you support?

As a Mayor and mom of four sons, I worry about the safety of our families in the wake of the increase in mass gun violence. Congress must take action to reduce the gun violence that threatens our nation's safety. When given the opportunity to pass a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, I had the courage and led the charge to pass one of the few local assault weapons bans in the nation despite harsh opposition from the NRA.

While the NRA challenged the ban in federal court, we prevailed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which announced in December that it would not hear the NRA's appeal, thus upholding the ban. Our ordinance immediately became a model for other cities in the U.S. While many in Congress did not have the courage to support federal legislation banning all assault weapons, I do support a federal assault weapons ban.

While one piece of legislation is not going to prevent every gun violence tragedy, with courageous leadership, we can take action and protect American lives from potential mass violence and grief. No parent should have to worry about sending a child to school, the park or the movie theater. Gun violence in our nation has created an unnecessary culture of fear and grief. The conversation regarding Second Amendment rights needs to return to a point where common sense prevails with Congress taking the following actions:

Pass a national assault weapons and large capacity magazines banClose gun show loopholesRequire universal background checksHold gun dealers who violate the law accountable

As a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, I strongly believe that it is critical that appropriate and uniform laws are created across the nation. Discrepancies between state laws and the enforcement of laws are leading to the flow of illegal gun trafficking into our cities and our neighborhoods. Specifically, a handful of states and dealers are responsible for the vast majority of illegal guns currently on our streets.

5. What are your thoughts on what has been done so far with immigration reform?

Comprehensive immigration reform that supports our economic goals and reflects our values as both a nation of law and immigrants is long overdue. The United States is the great nation it is because of the generations of immigrants who have strengthened our country and contributed to our economy. Our future depends on an immigration system that reflects our values and meets America's needs. Americans know that today our immigration system is badly broken. It separates families, undermines honest employers and workers, burdens law enforcement, and leaves millions of people who have long ties in the community working and living in the shadows. Additionally, Congress needs to act to expand immigration opportunities for highly skilled foreign workers and students studying in the U.S. Thousands of university students come to the U.S. to start a new life, receive the benefit of our university education system and then are forced to leave, taking their talents and dreams of a better life with them. These students represent lost opportunities in science, technology, business and more. We need a solution for them to stay and contribute to our great nation. As a Mayor, I have been a tireless advocate for our immigrant families and created a local legal aid clinic to actively help our residents on their path to citizenship.